We are proud to announce the
Philadelphia Pre-Release Screening of


Tickets
Order HERE
Or call Kristin at
215-345-6644, ext 3114

VIP Reception
and film: $75
Film: $15
(at door $20)

(PRO-ACT would appreciate your donation of tickets that we can distribute to those who might not otherwise have the opportunity
to view this film)
By our

SILENCE

we let others

define us. . .

About The Council

The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., an affiliate of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), is a private nonprofit organization serving Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County and Philadelphia County. The Council provides a wide range ofservices to families, schools, businesses, individuals and the community at large regardless of ability to pay, ethnicity, race, gender, age and/or sexual orientation.

www.councilsepa.org



About PRO-ACT

PRO-ACT is the regional nonprofit organization working to mobilize and rally individuals in recovery from addiction, as well as their families, friends and allies in a campaign to end discrimination, broaden social understanding and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis.

www.proact.org

This is a screening of a feature documentary film about the 23.5 million Americans living in long-term recovery, and the emerging public recovery movement that will transform how alcohol and other drug problems are dealt with in our communities.

Thursday, May 23, 2013
at
Holy Family University
ETC Auditorium
Corner of Frankford and Grant Avenues, Philadelphia, PA
(plenty of free parking)

A catered VIP Reception will be held prior to the screening and will offer attendees the opportunity to talk with business leaders, legislators, experts in the field, the filmmaker and others

VIP Reception: 6:00 pm
Film: 7:00 pm (doors open 6:45 pm)

Panel Discussion: 8:30 pm

The moving story of The Anonymous People is told through the faces and voices of citizens, leaders, volunteers, corporate executives, public figures, and celebrities who are laying it all on the line to save the lives of others just like them. This passionate new public recovery movement aims to transform public opinion, engage communities and elected officials, and finally shift public policy toward lasting solutions.

Help us to change the conversation from problems to solutions for America's top health problem!

Any funds raised through this event will be used to support Advocacy and Recovery

SPONSORSHIP AND EXPO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

If interested, please send an email to Marita

by clicking here

or call her at 215-345-6644, ext. 3160



PRO-ACT is hosted by



The Council

of SoutheastPennsylvania, Inc.

252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12

Doylestown, PA 18901

215-346-6644

www.councilsepa.org

Many Young Adults Use Parents’ Insurance to Treat Substance Abuse, Mental Illness

By Join Together Staff | April 12, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Addiction, Alcohol, Drugs, Healthcare, Legislation, Mental Health, Parenting, Treatment, Young Adults & Youth

Young adults who receive health insurance through their parents’ plans because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are more likely to use the coverage to treat substance abuse, mental illness or pregnancy, compared with their peers who already had coverage, a new report finds.

These three conditions accounted for 60 percent of hospital claims for young adults who were enrolled in their parents’ health plans in 2011, as a result of ACA, according to The Hill. The findings come from a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

In contrast, substance abuse, mental illness and pregnancy accounted for about one-third of claims in a group of young people who were already enrolled in their parents’ plan before healthcare reform took effect. Under ACA, health plans that provide dependent coverage must let young adults remain on their parents’ plan until they are 26.

As a result of the law, 3.1 million young adults have gained coverage, EBRI estimates. The uninsured rate among young people ages 19 to 25 has fallen significantly over the past several years.

The EBRI study found young people enrolled in their parents’ plan after 2011, when the provision took effect, spent an average of 15 percent more on healthcare, compared with their peers who were already on their parents’ plan.

Countries Collaborate to Create Synthetic Drug Early Warning System

By Join Together Staff | April 12, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Government & Prevention

An international effort is underway to identify and ban new synthetic drugs earlier, Bloomberg Businessweek reports.
Last month, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), which is affiliated with the United Nations (UN), called synthetic drugs “a growing threat to public health, as seen by increased emergency room admissions and calls to poison centers.”

The INCB called on nations to prevent the manufacture, trafficking and abuse of these substances. “In recent years, there has been an unprecedented surge in the abuse of new psychoactive substances,” INCB President Raymond Yans said in a statement.

“In Europe alone almost one new substance is appearing every week. Previously, between 2000 and 2005 there were an average of five notifications of new substances per year. Clear action must be taken now by governments to prevent and deal with the abuse of these so-called ‘legal highs’ which are already a threat to public health and pose a significant challenge to public health systems.”

After INCB released a list of more than 1,000 compounds that have entered the market in the last five years, 55 countries voted to create an international warning system that will be coordinated through the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. The system will allow countries to quickly share data when investigators first learn about compounds, such as in online chat rooms.

By sharing information, countries with sophisticated labs, such as the United States, can help countries without such facilities to ban compounds more quickly.

Yans noted synthetic drugs are sold online from countries where they are legal to nations where they are illegal. China is the main source of chemical compounds used in these drugs, he said. Most of the ingredients are legal there, he added. U.S. officials, after four years of urging China to ban these substances, have only been able to get the country to ban mephedrone, which is marketed in the United States as bath salts.

No Hugs Please, I'm Sober! | The Fix

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DSM-5: Psychiatry's Contested Bible | The Fix

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"I Don't Want to be an Enabler!" Free Seminar helps families learn to help an addicted loved one, not enable them. "I wish I knew how to help." When a family member has an addiction, you hear that a lot. So many loved ones set boundaries but struggle to follow through. There are alternatives to break the cycle. Please join us this Saturday, April 13th, for our free "Education for Families: Changing Enabling Behavior" seminar.  This informal session will offer information and reassurance on how to address addictive behavior with family members and loved ones. Families, educators and healthcare professionals can all benefit. Bring your questions and household issues to be addressed by experienced family counselors.  View and print the event fact sheet. The event takes place from 2 to 3:30 in Shanahan Hall on Livengrin's main Bensalem campus. Seating is limited! To register for the event, contact Dana Cohen at dcohen@livengrin.org or by calling 215-638-5200, ext 162. We look forward to seeing you there!   To learn more about this and other upcoming Livengrin events, please visit our calendar page. Learn More at: Livengrin Website   Support the Foundation

During its 46 years of service, more than 120,000 people have come to Livengrin to learn how to be healthy, sober and a part of their families, work and communities again.  You can play a role in a person's success story - make a contribution, volunteer, and tell someone about the help and hope to be found at Livengrin.  There's information, guidance and much more to learn throughout our website.

Kim Porter Cocaine Use: Nanny Dawn Grago Accuses P.Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend Of Exposing Daughters To Drugs

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10 TV Characters Who Relapsed | The Fix

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Ketamine for Bipolar: Potential Risks and Benefits

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Celebrate National Prevention Week

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Celebrities and Civil Rights Leaders Ask Obama to Change Drug Laws

By Join Together Staff | April 10, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Legal & Marketing And Media

More than 100 entertainers, civil rights leaders and other notable citizens have signed a letter to President Obama, asking him to change the nation’s drug laws. The group is urging him to replace jail sentences with intervention and rehabilitation for non-violent drug offenders, the Associated Press reports.

They asked the president to form a panel to deal with clemency requests, and to support a measure to let judges waive mandatory minimum sentences.

“The greatest victims of the prison industrial complex are our nation’s children,” the letter states. “Hundreds of thousands of children have lost a parent to long prison sentences for non-violent drug offenses, leaving these children to fend for themselves. Many of these children end up in the criminal justice system, which comes as no surprise as studies have shown the link between incarceration and broken families, juvenile delinquency, violence and poverty.”

Celebrities who signed the letter include Scarlett Johansson, Kim Kardashian, Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson, Nicki Minaj and Susan Sarandon. The letter was also signed by civil rights leaders and advocates such as Harry Belafonte, Julian Bond, Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Rev. Jesse Jackson. Hip-hop magnate Russell Simmons helped assemble the group, the AP notes. Some religious leaders, politicians, music industry executives, academics, business leaders and athletes also added their names.

Majority of Americans Say Doctors Should Have Limits on Pain Medication Prescribing

By Join Together Staff | April 10, 2013 | 2 Comments | Filed in Healthcare, Prescription Drugs & Prevention

A new poll finds 52 percent of Americans say doctors should have limits on the amount and dosage of pain medication they are allowed to prescribe. Almost half of those surveyed said prescription drug addiction is a major U.S. health problem.

The poll was commissioned by the advocacy group Research!America, which is using the results to encourage better research on chronic pain, The Hill reports.

“We need to better understand addiction,” Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley said in a statement. “We shouldn’t shy away from research on new pain treatments based on fears of abuse. The suffering is simply too great. More robust investment in research and the engagement and support of policy makers and health care providers are essential to developing effective strategies to reduce the prevalence of addiction.”

The group found 18 percent of respondents believe chronic pain is a major health problem, but 63 percent know someone who has taken prescription medication for severe pain.

Party Drug Called “Benzo Fury” Presents Dangers, Rat Study Suggests

By Join Together Staff | April 9, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Drugs, Research & Young Adults

A party drug known as “Benzo Fury” can have dangerous consequences, a new study of rodents suggests. It has both stimulant and hallucinogenic effects, Reuters reports. The drug is a synthetic, laboratory-designed substance.

Benzo Fury can be purchased online, and is popular in Britain and the United States, the article notes. Researchers at Britain’s University of Roehampton found the drug produced an effect on the brains of rats that was similar to hallucinogenic, addictive drugs such as cocaine or amphetamines. It may lead to high blood pressure by constricting blood vessels, the researchers said.

“It’s in the combination of these stimulant and hallucinogenic properties that the greatest danger lies,” said lead researcher Jolanta Opacka-Juffry. She presented her findings at the British Neuroscience Association conference in London. She added, “It’s possible that the reason these drugs are so popular is because they are seen as safer than their illegal counterparts,” so it is “important to challenge such assumptions.”

Commentary: Alcohol Awareness Month: Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow

By Robert J. Lindsey | April 9, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol & Community Related

Alcohol is the number one drug problem in the United States and it impacts every single person in our country, either directly or indirectly. Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has sponsored NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma, encourage individuals and families to seek help and to engage local communities in bringing attention to alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.

This April, NCADD has chosen the theme, “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.” During the month of April, NCADD’s national network of affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations will sponsor thousands of activities that create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems.

Why is Alcohol Awareness Month so important?
 18 million people age 18 and older have an alcohol use disorder.
 Alcohol causes about 80,000 deaths per year. It is the third leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
 Alcohol costs our society $225 billion in lost productivity, health care, accidents, etc.
 One in four children grows up in a home with an alcohol problem.

Of particular concern to NCADD is alcohol use by young people because it is extremely dangerous. Alcohol is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, prescription drug overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors. Annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related injuries and thousands more are injured.

Here are some specific facts as they relate to young people and alcohol:
 Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
 More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—almost five per day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
 Underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually.

Reducing underage drinking requires a cooperative effort from parents, schools, community organizations, business leaders, government agencies, the entertainment industry, alcohol manufacturers/retailers and young people.

Alcohol awareness is essential for the health of our country. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment and recovery support are essential for them and their families. And, as a result of NCADD’s work and countless others, millions of individuals and families are living life in recovery.

For more information about NCADD Alcohol Awareness, visit the NCADD website at: www.ncadd.org.

Robert J. Lindsey
President/CEO of NCADD

Drug Policy Director Cites Significant Progress in Disrupting Illegal Drug Trafficking

By Join Together Staff | April 8, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs & Government

The head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), Gil Kerlikowske, said there has been significant progress in disrupting illegal drug trafficking. He spoke in Tucson, Arizona, during a visit to inspect border security operations.

Kerlikowske said there has been an increase in communication with Mexican officials, according to Cronkite News Service. “We have, as we know, increased our drug seizures along the border significantly, the seizure of firearms going south and the seizure of money, which is critical for cutting off the head of the snake of the cartels,” he said.

A statement by ONDCP noted between 2009 and 2012, the Department of Homeland Security seized 39 percent more drugs along the Southwest border compared with 2005 to 2008. ONDCP has funded 18 Drug-Free Communities within 100 miles of the border in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas. These coalitions provide outreach services to young people to prevent drug use before it begins.

Kerlikowske told the news service there has been a decline in use of cocaine and methamphetamine in the United States, but law enforcement continues to be challenged by synthetic drug use. “Synthetic drugs, which can be produced anywhere, are a serious concern, but I think that the more education and prevention we do, that works the best,” he said.

Arsenic Added To Beers By Widely Used Filtering Material

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recoveryBox Daily Devotionals: Musical Monday - It Is Well With My Soul

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National Alcohol Awareness Month observed with 2 town meetings

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Kentucky Governor Expected to Sign Bill on Opioid Overdose Antidote

By Join Together Staff | April 5, 2013 | Leave a comment | Filed in Community Related, Drugs, Legislation, Prescription Drugs & Treatment

A bill that would allow doctors to prescribe the opioid-overdose antidote naloxone is expected to be signed this summer by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, Cincinnati.com reports. The bill also would allow pharmacists to distribute the antidote.

Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan, safely reverses the potentially fatal side effects of an overdose of oxycodone, heroin and other opioids. It has been routinely used by emergency rooms and ambulance crews for decades. In the past few years, naloxone has been distributed free to opioid users and their loved ones, in a growing number of sites around the country.

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that widely distributing naloxone, and training people in how to use it, could save many lives. It has successfully reversed more than 10,000 drug overdoses since 1996, according to the CDC report. Naloxone is not effective in treating drug overdoses that do not involve opioids.

“It is clearly defined that people are dying from opiate overdoses – whether by prescribed medications or heroin,” Northern Kentucky public health activist Dr. Jeremy Engel told Cincinnati.com. “Either way, with this medication lives have been saved. Once your life’s been saved you have a chance to make better choices. If you’re dead, you don’t. I think it’s a win-win-win.”